Lund & Malmö Two-Country Day Tour from Copenhagen

The Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden

Opened in 2000, the Øresund link joins Copenhagen and Malmö with a road and railway that start as a 4-kilometre tunnel under the sea, surface on the artificial island of Peberholm and continue over a 7.8-kilometre cable-stayed bridge. Its tall pylons and long, low deck became world-famous through the crime series named after it.

Crossing the Øresund Bridge takes only a few minutes, yet you move from one country to another and from the Danish to the Swedish side of the strait. On clear days you can see ships sailing between the Baltic and the North Sea, and the Turning Torso already appears on the Malmö skyline. Bring ID, as border checks can take place on the Swedish side.

Malmö Old Town: Stortorget, Lilla Torg and Malmöhus Castle

Malmö belonged to Denmark until 1658, and its old centre still shows that Danish past. Stortorget, the great square laid out in the 1530s, is framed by the City Hall and elegant merchant houses, while the smaller Lilla Torg next door has half-timbered buildings and cobbles that make it the city's most photographed corner.

A short walk away, Malmöhus Castle, built in the 1530s by the Danish king Christian III, is the oldest preserved Renaissance castle in the Nordic countries and now holds museums. Is Malmö worth visiting on a day trip from Copenhagen? Its compact, walkable old town, green parks and relaxed mood make a lovely contrast with the Danish capital.

Western Harbour and the Turning Torso

The Western Harbour, known in Swedish as Västra Hamnen, was once a busy shipyard. Since the early 2000s it has become a model sustainable district with modern housing, seaside promenades and wooden bathing decks, all overlooking the Øresund and the bridge.

Its landmark is the Turning Torso, designed by Santiago Calatrava and completed in 2005. The 190-metre residential tower is built of nine cubes that turn a full 90 degrees from bottom to top, and it remains one of the tallest buildings in Scandinavia. Nearby, the Ribersborg beach and its historic cold-bath house show how locals enjoy the sea all year.

Lund Cathedral and the University Town

Lund was founded around 990 and became the religious centre of Scandinavia when it received an archbishop in 1103. Its twin-towered cathedral, consecrated in 1145, is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, and its crypt keeps the legend of the giant Finn, said to have been turned to stone while trying to pull the church down.

Inside, the medieval astronomical clock from the 1400s comes alive at set times each day, with small figures processing to music. Around the cathedral lie cobbled lanes and the buildings of Lund University, founded in 1666 and one of the oldest in northern Europe. A Lund day trip feels calmer than Malmö, with student bicycles and quiet gardens everywhere.